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Travel Guide - Cienfuegos, Cuba

Once a predominantly agricultural province, Cienfuegos has undergone substantial development since the Revolution and is now one of the most industrialised of all the provinces. Its location on the southern coast of central Cuba has made it vulnerable to attack from pirates and corsairs through the ages. As the Cuban authorities look towards promoting tourism on their island, so Cienfuegos has begun to gear up to accommodate a more welcome type of visitor.

Since much of the province is relatively flat, the scenic foothills of the Escambray mountains in the east seem all the more dramatic. There are several unspoiled beaches stretching along the coast towards the province of Sancti Spiritus. Scuba diving off Cienfuegos province is extremely popular both with tourists and locals. There are numerous underwater caves, and well over 50 dive sites in the province.

Sugar is the area's main crop, with much of it being exported from the port of Cienfuegos, the capital of the province.

Cienfuegos is a delightful and interesting city with a history largely different to that of the rest of the country.

It is a pleasant city which, because of its role as an important port, both domestically and internationally, has a slightly more cosmopolitan feel about it than most other areas in the south. The streets are straight and wide with the Paseo del Prado, which dissects the city and extends out to the peninsula's end, being the most important street. The street extends south through the Punta Gorda area and north along th bay, there are some excellent views to be had from here, especially at sunset when the bay takes on a quiet and brooding appearance.

If you visit Cienfuegos don't forget to see:Parque Jose Marti, on the eastern side of it is the impressive Catedral de la Purisima Concepcion, which was built in 1870. Also overlooking the park is the Provincial Government Palace, a grand building with great columns and marble floors. Due west of the park stands the Casa de la Cultura.

Teatro Tomas Terry, situated on the north side of the Parque Jose Marti, is a beautiful and impressive structure whose facade is topped by three multi-coloured mosaic murals.Museo Historico, which contains local military memorabilia that once belonged to those who took part in the various struggles for independence and freedom.

Palacio del Valle, on the Punta Gorda, this Moorish style country house was bought by Alejandro Suero Balbin. Its fading pink colours fail to diminish the overall grandeur of the building which contains some excellent furnishings and porcelains.

The botanical gardens is perhaps the most famed botanical garden in the country, housing over 2,000 tropical and sub-tropical plants. Among the impressive collection of plant species are more than 200 types of palm trees of araceae, there is also a collection of different types of palm trees indigenous to Cuba.

Playa Rancho Luna, situated 20km east of the city, is still very quiet and secluded.

The Castle of Our Lady of the Angels of Jagua, situated 22km from Cienfuegos city, was originally used by the Spanish as a small fort to keep out smugglers who used to enter Jagua Bay to obtain fresh water and food from the locals. It is now a much more subtantial structure following the Spaniards' decision to develop it to defend the city from the more forceful threat offered by the English navy during the war between Spain and England.

Considered the Cuban architectural jewel of the 19th century, Cienfuegos is outstanding for the perfect design of its streets and for the refinement and good taste of the buildings in the historic center of the city, which has been declared a national monument. When visiting, stop by the Casa del Fundador (Founder’s House); Nuestra Señora de la Purísima Concepción (Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception) Cathedral; Tomás Terry Theater; Ferrer Palace; and José Martí Park, which contains the only arch of triumph in Cuba.

Other attractions include the Prado Promenade, Valle Palace, Museums of Naval and Provincial History, Reina (Queen’s) Cemetery and Jai-Alai Courts.

Farther out from the center of the city, tour the Nuestra Señora de los Angeles de Jagua (Jagua for short) Fortress, Tomás Acea Cemetery and the Botanical Gardens.

In addition to these cultural and historic attractions, Cienfuegos has excellent facilities for scuba diving and other water sports, nature tourism and thermal baths.

Cruces is a town in Cienfuegos Province, Cuba. It is the home of the Mal Tiempo National Park which commemorates a battle in the 1895 War of Independence.

Guajimico & Yaguanabo

Guajimico, the indian name meaning “The place for fishes” is the river and coastal inlet below Guamuhaya massif between Cienfuegos and Trinidad. Villa Guajimico operated by Campismo Popular is situated here.

Playa El Ingles is between Guajimico & Yaguanabo.

Yaguanabo can be enjoyed from small but comfortable cabanas (operated by Islazul) in a protective screen of vegetation. Here, you can relax in peace and quiet broken only by the squabbling of local birds and the soothing sound of the river. In the villa, everything is designed to promote enjoyment, with various recreational activities, such as boat rides on the Yaguanabo River to Iguana Valley, horseback riding, swimming in the river and evenings at the villa’s discotheque.

Rancho Luna Beach is located just outside of Cienfuegos. The semicircle-shaped, soft sand and beach is bathed by peaceful and warm waters. There are different diving areas nearby. Its coastal platform is particularly rough and inhabited by a rich marine life; its shallow waters hide beautiful corals that form low and medium depth reefs in the Barreras Cove and in Las Playitas; abrupt underwater geography and abundant sponges, gorgonians and corals are located much deeper and are particularly enticing.

Punta La Cueva is sited in the Bahia de Cienfuegos across the water from Cienfuegos City to the West.